Apparatus for the manufacture of decorative material



'June 24, 1941. Q APPLMAN 2,246,776

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF DECORATIVE MATERIAL Filed June 30, 19392 SheetsShee`t l June 24, 1941. Q H APPLE-MAN 2,246,776

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF DECORATIVE MATERIAL 'Filed June 30,`1959 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented June 24, 1941 nire srrss .narrar @FICEAPPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE F DECORATIVE MATERIAL 2 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus and process for the manufacture.of a material that and contiguous to each other so as `to coversubstantially the entiresurface area of said backing.

The invention resides essentially 'in the improved apparatus and methodfor the production of this article, whereby a finished product havingqualities superior to similar articles, Known in the art, is produced-in a cheaper and more eflicient manner. The present inventioncontemplates the treatment of one surface of the baeking with a coatingof adhesive material and applying thereto a web of spun fibers whichcornprise the warp of the fabric, said fibers being applied so that theyrun substantially parallel and contiguous to each other.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view of apparatus suitablefor practicing my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan View, partly in cross section, taken on line 2 2 ofFig. l.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a detail.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional View taken on line fl-ll of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in perspective of a thread guide.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral Ill designates,generally, a frame which is adapted to support, in suitable journals II,a roll of paper I2 or other suitable material. Positioned forwardly ofsaid journals are a series of parallel rollers I4 between which thepaper web is conducted and which serve to eliminate the arranged torevolve partly immersed in the adhe- 1 sive material contained in thefountain, thus a continuous coating of adhesive material is supplied tothe surface of the roller. Guide .rollers I8 and I9 serve to direct thepaper web over the roller I'I. A doctor bar 2 I, mounted on the frameIB, serves to remove excess adhesive material from the surface of theweb. Suitable guide rollers, 22, are provided for conducting the paperweb to the pressure rollers, 24, presently to be described and to thewind up reel 25, which is mounted on the frame.

The pressure rollers 2li, are mounted in .contiguous relationship andare preferably provided with rubber surfaces or other similar resilientmaterial. The pressure rollers which draw the web through the apparatusare connected by a suitable gearing and a belt drive to an electricmotor il which serves as the motive power for the operation of theapparatus. Adjustable means, not shown, are provided for regulating thecompressive force of the rollers 24. By a sui-table belt drive, thewind-up reel is continuously rotated to remove the web as it passesthrough the pressure rollers 24 in finished condition. v

The fibers 29, or other desirable materials, are preferably wound onspools which are suitably arranged in a creel 32 and the individualfibers are conducted through a guide 33 which extends throughout thewidth of the creel. The guide is provided with a plurality of spacedapertures 34, each of which receive a single fiber, as shown in Figure5, and is shaped in plan, substantially as shown in Figure 2. Thisparticular shape is desirable for the purpose of separating theindividual fibers from each other and obviating friction or rubbingcontact between them.

The individual bers 29 are conducted through a comb-like structure 34which comprises two parallel rows A and B of upright pins 35 supportedin a suitable base 31 and reinforced with a horizontally disposed member3S, over which the fibers are conducted. It will be seen that the pinsin Row A are in staggered relationship with respect to the pins of rowB, such that when viewed in elevation, either from the front or rear,the pins of the row A appear to be disposed intermediate the pins of therow B.

Referring to Figure 3, it will be seen that two individual fibers areconducted through each space defined by the pins 35 in the row A and arecaused to converge and engage only one portion of the pin, as at 4t. Thefibers, upon being conducted between the pins in row B are caused to bediverged and to engage opposite portions of the pins as at Ill. By thismeans equi-distant parallel spacing of the bers is effected and lateralshifting of the bers is obviated immediately preceding the applicationof the fibers to the paper web which serves as a backing. The parallelarrangement of the bers subsequent to being conducted through thecomb-like structure 34, is in e'ect a Weftless web of fabric. It will beunderstood that fibers of various colors and designs may be arranged inthe comb structure so as to produce novel effects and designs on thefinished product. By appropriate spacing nf the pins, in the combstructure, it is possible to substitute a web of decorative tape for theindividual fibers.

The web of fibers is then conducted between suitable rollers 43 so as tobe brought into con-I tact with the adhesive treated paper web. Bothwebs are then conducted through the pressure rollers 24 which insure theadherence of the ber web to the paper web backing. The finished productis then rolled up by the wind up reel in a continuous operation.

It will be seen from the foregoing, that the manufacture of a decorativematerial of the character described comprises applying a coating ofadhesive material to one surface of a continuous backing, arranging aplurality of continuous fibers in parallel contiguous relation so as toform a web, conducting said fiber in longitudinal alinement with saidbacking and causing said fibers to adhere to said backing.

It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description is merelygiven by way of illustration and that variations may be made thereinWithout departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

l. In an apparatus for the manufacture of a decorative materialcomprising a creel for supporting a plurality of spools of strands offibers, a guide member having a plurality of apertures through which thestrands of fibers are arranged to be conducted, the said guide memberserving to arrange the strands in substantially coplaner relation, andmeans including a supporting member provided with a plurality of spacedpins in two parallel rows, the pins of one row being staggered relativeto the pins of the other row, the said supporting member being ofrelatively lesser length than said guide member and being spacedtherefrom whereby the said fibers are caused to converge in their travelto said pins, the rows of pins being so constructed and arranged that apair of strands of fibers will converge and pass through the spacedefined by a pair of adjacent pins in the front row of pins, said pairof strands thereafter being caused to diverge into substantiallyparallel lines by the pins of the rear row.

2. In an apparatus for the manufacture of a decorative materialcomprising a creel for supporting a plurality of spools of strands offibers, a guide member having a plurality of apertures through which thestrands of fibers are arranged to be conducted, the said guide memberserving to arrange the strands in substantially co-planer relation,means including a supporting member provided with a plurality of spacedpins in two parallel rows, said pins being supported at their lower endsand defining open spaces at their npper ends, the pins of one row beingstaggered relative to the pins of the other row, the said supportingmember being of relatively lesser length than said guide member andbeing spaced therefrom whereby the said fibers are caused to converge intheir travel to said pins, the rows of pins being so constructed andarranged that a pair of strands of fibers will converge and pass throughthe space defined by a pair or adjacent pins in the front row of pins,said pair of strands thereafter being caused to diverge intosubstantially parallel lines by the pins in the rear row.

CHARLES HENRY APPLEMAN.

